The Light That Is Changing
MCL 257.612 — on yellow, stop unless the stop cannot be made in safety, and turns on red after stopping
Yellow means stop, unless it cannot be done safely. Traffic facing a steady yellow stops before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection, or at a marked limit line, but if the stop cannot be made in safety, a vehicle may be driven cautiously through the intersection.
Red, then a turn. Traffic facing a steady red alone stops before the near crosswalk, at a marked limit line, or before the intersection, and remains standing until green. After stopping, it may turn right from a one way or two way street into a two way street or a one way street going right, or turn left from a one way or two way street into a one way roadway going left, unless a sign, signal, marking, light or other device prohibits it.
Yielding on the turn. Traffic turning on red yields to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
| The light | What the section says |
|---|---|
| The lightSteady yellow | What the section saysStop before the crosswalk or limit line, unless it cannot be done safely |
| The lightSteady red | What the section saysStop and remain standing until green |
| The lightRight on red | What the section saysInto a two way street, or a one way street going right, after stopping |
| The lightLeft on red | What the section saysInto a one way roadway going left, after stopping |
Arrows, flashing lights and pedestrian signals are set out in the same sections, and not all of them are on this page. What a particular ticket means is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 257.612 — Traffic control signals; indications; stopping; turn on red
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.